


He Looks So Perfect

by Emmybazy



Series: Commuter Cake [1]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Commute Fic, M/M, Shy/Awkward Luke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2014-08-11
Packaged: 2018-02-12 16:04:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2116092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmybazy/pseuds/Emmybazy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's not creepy to have a crush on someone you've never spoken to. It's not. Right?</p>
<p>Or, Luke and Calum take the same subway to work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He Looks So Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> So if anyone has read multiple of my writey thingies, you might've noticed I use severely bad morphs of 5sos song titles as my titles (for Got to Get Out, I almost called it Found Boy, it was almost that bad [which isn't actually that bad if you might've thought about/have used that title!]). Anyways, my sister and I realized while listening to the She looks so perfect EP waiting to park for the where we are tour (!!!!) that I'd never done a title based off 'she looks so perfect.' She also told me that using 'he looks so perfect' was too easy and tried to challenge me to do something better but I'm not that clever and I think it fits. 
> 
> This is just a super short idea I had while I'm working on my chaptered fic (which is looking like the next chapter will definitely be done by my self-given deadline of September 1st, in case anyone cared).
> 
> This is unedited by another person. It just felt too short to go through the emotional roller coaster ride of asking some to pick it apart, especially my sister who isn't afraid to say what she feels. So expect mistakes because grammar was never my forte in school. It's like they don't teach it well enough anymore because they know computers will fix it for you. 
> 
> Sorry, this whole bit has been really informal and I'm writing this like an email to a friend. I'm currently living with a bunch of people and none of us really get along so writing into the void and pretending whoever is reading this is my friend makes me feel less lonely. Especially after seeing all the boys in concert which took a pretty heavy toll on my ability to function. 
> 
> I don't own many things and one of those things is not 5sos.

Today his Possible Soulmate is wearing a Green Day shirt. Black with neon green writing and the bands faces outlined. Luke wants to walk up and start a conversation, tell the stranger that he likes Green Day too, that he listened to American Idiot so many times through he can recite every song backwards if he wanted too. But today is just not The Day.

It’s never The Day. Luke always wants it to be The Day but something always gets in the way. Today, it’s because his quiff isn’t looking its best, not up to its usual snuff. The day before, Luke had been a little late to the subway station, the timing not right so the train had come in just as Luke was building the confidence to talk to him. On Tuesday it had been because Luke was pretty sure he had a booger in his nose. He didn’t check in a mirror but he could feel something up there and he can’t have a booger in his nose on The Day Luke Hemmings Meets His Possible Soulmate.

Luke sighs, leaning against the grimy tile wall of the subway station. He’s listening to a Blink 182 song, one of the many on his commute playlist. Every morning during the week, Luke wakes up at 7:30, quickly getting ready so he can walk the ten minutes to the train station and be there by 8:15. His earbuds are in from the time he walks out the door until he’s at his work station in the mail room. It’s not a glamorous job, but it’s easy enough and it’ll do until he figures out what exactly it is that he wants.

Through the monotony of a 9 to 5 job, Luke gets a special treat on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings when his Possible Soulmate rides the train at the same time. It’s been over a month since Luke first saw him. His Possible Soulmate had been standing with a Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee on the platform, black back pack loosely slung on his shoulders and jeans tighter than Luke would wear back in high school. His eyes had been closed, head covered in dark hair bobbing with whatever song had been playing through his headphones. Luke would’ve given one of his pinkies to know what song it was, just to see if he knew the song that made this stranger look so peaceful.

Since then, Luke has watched, careful not to be seen, his Possible Soulmate just exist. A few weeks back, his Possible Soulmate gave a doughnut to one of the homeless guys who sometimes sit in the station. A week ago, he had waved at a baby and made funny faces. On Tuesday, he’d let a woman and her daughter take his seat on the crowded train. If it's possible to have a crush on a complete stranger, then Luke has about six on this one in particular. 

The train pulls up, 8:18 today. Luke can normally rely on one coming before 8:30. His stop is only four away so he's usually on for less than 15 minutes. Luke tends to get to work ten minutes early, the walk from the stop to his office building is only three blocks. Once, one of the trains had had an electrical issue and the entire line was shut down for an hour. Luke had walked the twenty six blocks from his apartment instead of waiting for it to start back up. He'd only been half an hour late. Other than that, the train has always come before 8:30.

Luke moves through the throng of people. There’s always a lot of traffic at this time in the morning, people getting on and off for work at places all over the city. Luke tries to be nice, getting out of others' way to let them on so that they don’t get stuck in a traffic jam beneath the city streets. But Luke always secures himself a spot on the train, even if it’s right as the doors closes. Today he’s found himself a loop to hold onto, a rubber circle hanging down from the bars above the seats. It gives him the flexibility to move out of people’s way and into the middle of the train, rather than in the laps of the passengers in front of him.

Luke’s Possible Soulmate is at the back of the train car, leaning against the back window and holding onto the corner of a bar there. He’s staring out the dark windows, finger tapping against his thigh and full mouth forming the words to a song that Luke wants so badly to know the name of. Unfortunately, Luke can’t lip read.

Luke started playing a game after the first few times he’d noticed his Possible Soulmate. It’s like people watching, except focused on one person over an extended period of time. Luke likes to think up a name for his Possible Soulmate, an occupation, where he lives, what he would want to name their future children. Normal stuff.

Today Luke imagines his Possible Soulmate's name is James. It fits him, a strong name to match the jaw line. Today, James is an event planner. That’s why he can wear cool band tees to work, because he’s the boss. And he’s the best. Everyone wants James to plan their parties. Luke imagines his own bosses throwing a company party and hiring James to plan it. Luke will show up to the party, dressed in his favorite shirt that brings out the color in his eyes, and will know as soon as he sees James across the room that it is The Day. Luke will stride right over to James and shake his hand. James probably has a firm handshake and a voice like molasses.

Or maybe James is a doctor. He just changes when he gets to work and his scrubs are stuffed into his back pack. He’s a great doctor, using those big chocolate eyes of his to soothe even the most distressed patients. Maybe Luke will break his arm in a tragic mail room incident and have to be rushed to the hospital where he’ll be met by Dr. James. The break will be so complex and unique, Dr. James will have to take care of Luke for weeks, making sure the healing process is going smoothly. He’ll even take a vacation from the hospital just to be with Luke. Over the long weeks of healing, of course James and Luke will fall in love. How couldn't they?

Luke is startled from his daydream when he hears the squeal of the brakes coming into his stop. It only ever makes the sound outside of this station, Luke’s, and Luke would’ve missed his stop far too many times already if the sound wasn’t so piercing that it cut through the noise from his earbuds. He moves from between a woman wearing a heavy, puffy, goose down coat and a gentleman in a track suit to stand by the doors. There’s always a second of anxiety where Luke wonders if the doors will open or if he’ll be stuck here. It’s not unheard of, just bad wiring can do it.

Most days, Luke wants the doors to open, so he doesn’t have to be afraid of spending an entire day on the train. But today, and maybe a few other times before, the anxiety is that they will open. Because if they don’t, Luke will be stuck in a place with his Possible Soulmate. And maybe Luke would find the courage to strike a conversation with him. And maybe it’d be The Day.

The doors open. It’s not The Day. Luke exits quickly, focusing on the thrumming guitars in his ears rather than the cowardice swimming in his veins.

*****

Luke has no idea how people do this every day. He’d agreed to switch shifts with one of the other mail guys for the day and now he has to be into work by 7 on a Monday. He’s kicking himself for agreeing, even if he now has a favor to cash in. The alarm sounds distorted when it goes off at 5:30 and he just barely makes it out the door in time to catch a train. He ends up trotting the last block to the stop, more to wake up then because he’s late.

The normal rush of people walking down is gone and Luke is met by an empty stairwell. The steps make a hollow sound as his boots tap against them, even though he knows they are solid concrete. Maybe he's the hollow one.

He’s ten minutes earlier than what he had planned, enough time to grab a coffee at one of the stands in the tunnels. He decides on just a cheap cup poured from a thermos on an old rickety cart. This vendor always smiles at him when Luke goes past so today he might as well buy something. The coffee is decent for only being a few dollars. Luke immediately feels better as the caffeine jolts him awake. He’s not a big coffee drinker, but sometimes necessity calls for it.

Luke walks further underground and onto the platform for his train. The normally packed platform only has six other people on it. Two are runners, which doesn’t seem to make sense unless they have a routine that involves jogging from subway car to subway car. Three of the people are business types, a man and two women gathered together wearing perfectly tailored suits with harsh looks on their face and Luke is pretty sure he hears the word 'merger' thrown around. Luke decides to go further down the platform to avoid them.

The last person on the platform is Luke’s Possible Soulmate. Today he’s wearing a sleeveless white top and Luke can see the full length of his arm filled with tattoos. Most days the shirts will cut off a few of the details at the top but today Luke has a perfect view. He adds the tattoos to the list of reasons why this beautiful stranger and he are meant to be together.

Luke’s Possible Soulmate looks up as Luke approaches the side of the platform. Luke pretends not to be looking. He pretends not to notice when his Possible Soulmate’s eyes linger on him a second longer than is probably necessary. Maybe today will be The Day. Maybe the beautiful stranger will stomp over to Luke and demand to know why Luke is stalking him. It would still count as meeting each other. Technically. 

Or maybe it’ll be just another day where Luke longingly stares from his spot on the wall while his Possible Soulmate scrolls through something on his iPhone. Luke has noticed how his Possible Soulmate prefers to lean against the pillars nearest the train, shoulder against the tile and foot propped up behind him. Luke watches as his stranger slides his iPhone into his pocket and looks down the tracks, searching for the train. Luke wants to bang his head against the wall behind him, hoping to knock some sense into himself. If it’s even possible at this point.

The familiar head lights fill the room as the train pulls in. The cars are more empty than Luke expected. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen what an unfilled seat on the subway looks like. There is a fair bit of people, only a few empty seats on either side, but still. Luke didn’t have to battle the crowds to find a patch of space behind the sliding doors. There’s enough room that he could dance around the floor if he wanted too. Maybe he should plan on doing that sometime, waking up early on a day off just to dance in a subway car.

Luke sees his Possible Stranger sat in an end seat near the back of the car. There’s an open seat between him and an elderly man reading a book. There’s a part of Luke that’s telling him to stay where he is, to hold onto the bar right next to the doors and not let go until he hears the screech of the brakes at his stop. But then he realizes that today is The Day. Or at least it could be.

As the train starts to leave, Luke stumbles over to the seat. He wasn’t prepared to be moving when the train lurched from it’s stop and he quickly catches himself after a slight fall. He dumps himself into the seat next to his Possible Soulmate, his right hip and shoulder meeting the strangers’ left.

“You good?”

Luke looks to his right to meet his Possible Soulmate’s eyes and a small smile, both have quite the disarming effect on Luke. But it’s the voice that really gets to Luke and leaves him half starring and half drooling at his Possible Soulmate. It’s like every good thing in the world was thrown into a pot, mixed, boiled, and then poured down the throat of the man sitting next to Luke. Luke can’t do much else but nod a few jerky times and mumble softly, “Thank you.”

His Possible Soulmate seems satisfied with that, turning back to stare out the windows opposite. Luke tries to focus on the music in his ears and not the warmth on his right side. Surprisingly, the old man is not as warm, even in his big sweater. Luke glances over to make sure he’s not sitting next to a dead body, but the man’s hand moves as he turns a page.

“Damn.” Luke hears from his right. He turns to see his Possible Soulmate fiddling with his phone. Luke takes his right ear bud out and raises an eyebrow at the stranger.

His Possible Soulmate looks up at Luke, gesturing at the iPhone. The screen is black and Luke’s heart instantly goes out to the poor guy. As if the sight isn’t sad enough, Luke’s Possible Soulmate states the problem. “My battery just died.”

Luke, without really thinking much about it, offers up his right earbud to his Possible Soulmate. “You can listen to mine. If you’d like.” Luke shrugs but his Possible Soulmate smiles.

“Thanks.” He takes the ear bud, pressing it into his own right ear. Luke instantly realizes the problem with this. They’re sitting with their outer ears connected by a short wire, so their heads naturally fall together, closer than Luke should be comfortable with but not close enough in his own opinion. Luke can see the stubble forming on his Possible Soulmate’s jaw and smell the soap he uses. Luke then realizes that though it may be awkward, the situation is not really a problem if he can add these factors to his morning fantasies.

They stop at the next station and the train powers down for a second. Luke can see the drivers outside switching places. He decides that it’s not really fair to make his Possible Soulmate listen to his music without any say in what’s playing. Luke pulls his iPod out of his jacket pocket. “You can pick the next song if you’d like?” He holds it up to the not-really-a-stranger-anymore and the guy smiles. It’s a bit bigger than the last one and Luke really wants to tell his Possible Soulmate that they are, in fact, possible soulmates but he’s afraid that would ruin The Day.

“Thanks. I like what you’ve been playing.” Luke’s Possible Soulmate takes the iPod and scrolls through the playlist, settling on an old All Time Low song.

Luke really wants to lean his head against his Possible Soulmate’s shoulder and tell him about the time he’d went to see All Time Low in concert. But it’s not like sitting together on a subway after just meeting is a date and that’s definitely a first or second date story. So Luke settles for a smile and says, “Nice choice.”

They sit and listen to the song. The rest of the train fades away as Luke focuses on his Possible Soulmate’s hand holding his iPod. The fingers are long and wrap carefully around the iPod, almost cradling it. Luke knows that later he will dream about those fingers on his skin but for now just cataloguing the details of his Possible Soulmate’s hand is enough for him.

He’s startled by his Possible Soulmate reaching up and taking out the earbud in his ear, handing the iPod back to Luke. Luke tries to hide his hurt behind a mask of confusion.

“Your stop is next.” Is what Luke’s Possible Soulmate says with a grin. “Thanks.”

“Oh.” Luke says, “Of course.” Right then the familiar screech of the train turning into his stop reminds him to stand, the right ear bud slapping against his chest. In the few seconds that it takes for the train to come to a stop, Luke figures it’s a good thing, not a weird one, that his Possible Soulmate knows where he gets off. And he realizes that he can’t walk away from his Possible Soulmate on The Day without finding out his name.

Luke quickly turns to the no-longer-stranger and holds out his hand, trying to remember what his father taught him about how to properly shake hands, “Luke.”

His Possible Soulmate smiles wide and his eyes light up. Luke feels bubbles bursting in his stomach and he wants to learn how to keep that expression permanently on this man’s face. Luke’s Possible Soulmate reaches up and gives Luke’s hand a firm shake. “Calum.”

Luke nods once, starting to grin and about a minute away from a full blown flush, “Good bye Calum.”

Luke turns to head out the doors before they close and he misses his stop. As his foot hits the concrete, he hears a call from behind him, “See you tomorrow Luke!”

Luke doesn’t stop smiling the entire walk to the office building. It doesn’t feel like The Day anymore. It feels like Day One.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope that wasn't a waste of ten minutes of your time. 
> 
> As always, I'm on tumblr at emmybazy.tumblr.com. I'll post a link to the next chapter of the Vegas fic on there when I finish it.
> 
> Have a wonderful week! I hope you find a lucky penny tomorrow!


End file.
